A Sudden Space Opera
by COORAALL
Summary: Stranded on an Outer Rim planet, René needs to collect her droids and find away off the dusty rock so she can save her friend from Imperial custody. But when she runs into a group of interesting individuals at a bar, René finds herself swept up into an adventure she wasn't really expecting.


Tatooine was a place where no one wanted to be unless they had to, or they were born there. The planet was scorching thanks to its two suns, and it was pretty much all sand and dirt leaving much to be desired in terms of aesthetic. Those who had to be there were generally the galaxy's scummiest members of the pirating, smuggling and criminal variety; which wasn't shocking due to the fact that the planet was home to Jabba the Hutt, the ugliest and weirdly most talented business-thing in the Outer Rim.

Unfortunately for René, Tatooine was where she was stuck, and where she would remain until she found her friend's droids and a way off the hell hole. Since her search efforts for the droids had been going badly, René had found a table in the Mos Eisley Cantina to rest before returning to the arduous search and to scope out the locals. Leia would hate this place, René thought idly, all of her least favorite people in one place. As soon as that thought crossed her mind, so did guilt; her brave and wonderful friend was captured by the Empire and René had been helpless to stop it. Now she had to play droid finder and get her ass back to the rebel base. By herself, René could do nothing, with the rebels, maybe they could help save the lost princess.

René was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of a scuffle by the bar, and when she turned around she spotted an old man wielding a light stick who then promptly chopped someone's arm off.

Well that's something you don't see every day.

Intrigued, René continued to observe him and found that he was accompanied by a boy her age. It was then when they appeared to follow a Wookie towards a back table and René moved with them, lingering behind as to not be seen. Once she was finally able to hear them speak, her ears were greeted with the old man saying, "Only passengers. Myself, the boy, two droids, and no questions asked."

That quickly got her attention, could they possibly be in possession of the two droids she was looking for? Unsure how to cut in on this conversation, especially with a menacing wookie looming over them, René pondered until she heard them haggle a price.

"We haven't that much with us. But we could pay you two thousand now, plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan," The old man offered, René now almost certain they had what she was looking for.

"Seventeen, huh!"

"Twenty thousand," she cut in, approaching the table, causing all there to jump. The wookie tensed and the smuggler's hand went right to his gun, but René was faster. Honestly, she should've expected this reaction when she walked up in a face covering helmet and a voice changer, she knew she had a bounty hunter look which had been helping her until that moment. In any case, she prepared for the worst. "I wouldn't," she warned, her words nearly coming out like a growl under the helmet.

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" The smuggler exclaimed, holding a hand up to stop the wookie, but keeping his gun pointed at her chest.

"I also need transport to Alderaan, and since you seem to be willing to transport these men for seventeen thousand, I figured I'd sweetened the deal," René explained as she lowered her weapon, causing the smuggler to do so as well. She shot a glance at the old man and the boy finding the former gazing at her calculatingly and the latter to be flummoxed by the whole situation.

"Now why the hell would I trust you-"

"You can," The old man interrupted, causing everyone involved to look at him confused, "she means us no harm, and her words are truthful." René was thunderstruck, how in the galaxy could he possibly know that?

"You really think I'm going to take the words of a crackpot old-"The smuggler trailed off and looked at a spot behind her, she turned and spotted a couple of storm troopers by the bar. René's heart started pounding as she turned back around to face the equally concerned people in front of her. The smuggler tensed in his seat. "Twenty-thousand?" he asked in a short, hushed tone.

"I'll hand deliver it myself," she replied in the same tone.

"Can you shoot that thing?" he continued, pointing to her gun.

"Yes!" She hissed, annoyed.

"Great. Welcome aboard the Millennium Falcon, I'm Han Solo, that's Chewie and you all need to get the hell out of here and meet us at docking bay 94." The three transportees stared at each other before silently slipped from the booth, evading imperial notice. Once they got outside René was greeted with a relieving sight, R2 and 3PO were indeed the droids the two men had found. Thankfully, do to her new outfit, the droids probably didn't recognize her, so she didn't have to worry about them loudly exclaiming her identity. The old man gestured for them to follow and they continued making their way to the ship.

"I don't suppose you would tell me _why_ you're going to Alderaan?" René asked after a few moments of walking in silence.

"I have a feeling I don't need to, you already know why," the old man answered cryptically, making her wonder if that's all he ever did. The young man to the right of her seemed to be in a constant state of bemusement whenever something about her was mentioned, but interestingly enough, wasn't shocked that the old man was able to figure her out.

"How could you possibly-?"

"The fact you jumped into our conversation after learning that there were two droids in our company and your reaction upon seeing them just now," he explained. René looked back quickly making sure the droids weren't to close behind to hear the conversation and potentially make the connection.

"I could easily be a bounty hunter searching for them to get some money," Rene retorted.

"I could sense no ill intention from you upon our meeting," he said shortly, turning to look around a corner, and waving at Chewie, "If the ships as fast as he's boasting we'll make it there in no time." René was left stunned and a little confused making the boy shrug at her as he walked past. They finally reached the ship with the help of the Wookie and René couldn't help but be a little underwhelmed. The Millenium Falcon had clearly been through the wringer and she hoped that there would be no troubles with the ship as they made their way to Alderaan. "

What a piece of junk!" Luke exclaimed as they approached Han Solo, making René unable to hold back a snort. The smuggler glared at the two of them.

"She'll make point five beyond the speed of light. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid," Han huffed, "now we're a little rushed so if you'll just get on board." Smirking under her helmet René made her way onto the ship feeling Solo glare at the back of her head.

René felt the ship move as she walked into what appeared to be the central hold area and took the moment to look around. Much like the outside, it wasn't that impressive on the inside with its weathered walls and furniture, giving it a very used feel. She was pulled from her thoughts when Solo pushed passed her in a rush. At first she was confused and a little affronted until she heard the blasts.

"Chewie! Get us out of here!" Han yelled, running into the cockpit

"The hell is going on?" She exclaimed, looking to Luke who was ran into the room.

"We're being shot at by storm troopers!" He replied, running into the room, the old man following behind. The trio of them began strapping in and they felt the ship rumble around them.

"Oh my, I'd forgotten how much I hate space travel," 3PO wailed, as the ship gave a harsh jolt. The harsh movements continued for a while, but soon ceased as they entered space. However, everyone in the room became concerned when a new jolt started happening, they all looked at each other and quickly removed their restraints before rushing to Han and Chewbacca.

"Stay sharp! There are two more coming in; they're going to try to cut us off," Han ordered Chewie, the group looked out to see a pair of starships looming in front of them.

"Why don't you outrun them?" Luke asked, "I thought you said this thing was fast!" René found herself internally agreeing, as she looked fearfully at the monstrous ships in front of them.

"Watch your mouth kid, or you're going to find yourself floating home," Han snapped, "We'll be safe enough once we jump into hyperspace. Besides, I know a few maneuvers. We'll loose them!" Lasers continued to hit the ship and one sent the group that was standing stumbling. "Here's where the fun begins!" Han exclaimed, looking more excited than René thought he had any right to be.

"How long till me make the jump to lightspeed?" the old man asked calmly. René herself was acting calm externally, more due to the fact she was wearing a helmet and no one could see her expression and wondered how the old man did it?

"It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the Navi computer-"The group was jolted again. "Are you kidding?" Luke shouted, "at the rate they're gaining…"

"Traveling through hyperspace isn't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?" Han retorted, but seemed to be pressing buttons with more vigor. Red lights began flashing around them.

"What's that flashing?" René asked.

"We just lost the deflector shields," Han informed, looking concerned, "hang on, I'm going to make the jump to lightspeed." Han pulled down a lever and they left the system in a flash of white light, leaving a cluster of Imperial starships behind.


End file.
